In a performance that lived up to the hype and then some, the freakishly good Flightline waltzed to an 11 ½ length victory in Santa Anita’s traditional Winter Spring Opening Day feature, the Grade I $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Flightline, who is now unbeaten in three starts with a combined 37 ½ lengths, ran seven furlongs in 1:21.37.

Never challenged at any point, Flightline fairly jogged home in a manner that reminded veteran players of some of the best sprinters that have ever graced the Santa Anita main track. With Prat sitting dead still turning for home, he actually seemed to hit his best stride on the gallop out into the Club House turn.

A 12 ¾ length allowance winner going six furlongs on Sept. 5 at Del Mar, Flightline, a bay colt by Tapit, was off at 2-5 in a field of seven sophomores and paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.20.

Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, Summer Wind Equine, LLC, Woodford Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Siena Farm, Flightline, who is out of the Indian Charlie mare Feathered, picked up $180,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $259,800.

In a separate race, Baby Yoda, an attentive third to the top of the lane, outfinished Stilleto Boy by a length for the place. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Baby Yoda was off at 16-1 and paid $8.40 and $4.60.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Stilleto Boy finished 6 ¼ lengths clear of Triple Tap who paid $4.00 to show while off at 19-1. Desormeaux was quoted as saying after the race, ‘wow, wow, wow’ according to Daily Racing Form.

Fractions on the race, all set by the winner, were 22.01, 44.48 and 1:08.72.

Trainer Sadler said following the race, “This horse is so brilliant. This is not an ordinary horse, this is a very special horse. We want to do right by the horse and all other things will fall into place. He was late getting here. He had a foot bruise at Del Mar, so we backed off. After Flavien (Prat) got off him the last time, he said this horse can go further. He’ll go a distance the next time. There is a lot of pressure on you, but it is the pressure you want. It’s like the high school coach for LeBron. You know you have something special and he is much the best.”

A $1 million Saratoga yearling in 2019, Flightline descends from a litany of blue hen mares from the outstanding breeding program of Ogden Mills Phipps.

Phipps purchased LADY PITT, by Sword Dancer, in 1970. The filly won or placed in 19 stakes races and won the Coaching Club of America Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes.

Lady Pitt, who raced for Thomas Eazor, produced BLITEY for Phipps. A daughter of Riva Ridge, Blitey won the Grade 2 Test Stakes and was Grade 1 placing.

Blitey is Flightline’s 5th dam. Just look at the produce record from Blitey:

FLIGHTLINE’S 5TH DAM BLITEY 

Blitey produced four graded stakes winners and eight other winners out of 12 foals to race. Her graded stakes winners included grade 1 winners Dancing Spree (Nijinsky II), Fantastic Find (Mr. Prospector), and Furlough (Easy Goer).

4TH DAM  FANTASTIC FIND

Fantastic Find had nine winners including Grade 1 winners Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat) and Tax Ruling.

3RD DAM FINDER’S FEE

Winner of the Acorn and Matron Stakes among other stakes, Finder’s Fee produced 5 winners including winner World Record, who raced in Ontario.

2ND DAM RECEIPT

Stakes-placed Receipt, a daughter of Dynaformer, produced four foals including Grade 3 stakes winner, Grade 1 placed Feathered, by Indian Charlie.

DAM – FEATHERED

Jane Lyon, the owner of Summer Wind Farm which bred Flightline, bought Feathered for $2.35 million out of the Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency consignment at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Feathered’s 2-year-old Voron races in Russia and she has a 2020 colt by Tapit and a 2021 colt by Curlin.

 

 

Blitey in 1979, winner of the Grade 2 Test Stakes – NYRA photo

Flightline’s pedigree, courtesy of Pedigree Consultants Twitter feed

 

 

Tags: Flightline, John Sadler, Malibu Stakes, Santa Anita,

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